Country Pork Ribs... what are those?

Like you I am a busy Mom; what with kids, a husband, two dogs a full time job (40+ hours a week outside the home), blogging and hobbies, heck anything that helps me save time, money and gets my family to eat a good dinner - COUNT ME IN!

I have a picky eater as I am sure many of you do.  One way I get her to try things is by making a weekly meal plan.  Everyone gets input and everyone gets to make up at least 1 dinner a week.  I find if she not only helps me cook but has input into what we are eating she will not only try other foods during the week but she is excited for her dinner to come up. 

Making a meal plan helps me plan and stay organized as well.  I don't have the, 'what do you want for dinner?' or the 'Mom, what's for dinner?' conversations at my house.  The weekly meal plan is posted on the refrigerator so everyone knows. 

This week I'm sharing a recipe for a cheap and easy meal, fix it and forget it!  My kind of deal!
This is one of our favorite meals and I hope you try it and like it. 

Have you ever tried Country Pork Ribs?  They are meatier, cheaper and usually taste better than regular pork ribs.  Heck, you had me a cheaper! 
I got 8 in a package for $10.00, well, $9.67 - I am rounding.  I split them into 2 packages and froze them, pork freezes really well.

To make this you'll need:
Country Pork Ribs
Lawry's Season Salt
Liquid Smoke
Non Stick Spray
Aluminum Foil
Cookie sheet

Start by pre-heating the oven to 250, yes, 250. 
Cover your cookie sheet with aluminum foil and spray with your non stick spray. 
Next, place your country ribs on the cookie sheet.

Aren't they beautiful! 
Now, cover them with the Lawry's Season Salt - both sides.  Don't skimp!  Trust me they won't taste salty.
Then pour your liquid smoke over the ribs.  Have you ever used liquid smoke? It is amazing!
It comes in many flavors, I used Hickory.

Give your ribs a good dousing of the liquid smoke.

Now the tricky part..... pull out a length of aluminum foil that will fit over your cookie sheet.  You need to spray the foil that will come into contact with the ribs.  Then cover them up making sure you wrap the foil so no air escapes. 

These little babies are going to steam themselves into deliciousness.
Put the cookie sheet in the oven and walk away for at least 6 hours. 

In the past I have cooked these the day before, then let them sit to cool, covered them with BBQ sauce, covered them back up with the foil and put them in the refrigerator overnight.  This allows the BBQ sauce to gel and soak into the ribs.  The next day take them out and just warm them over the grill - seriously good stuff here!  AND the BBQ sauce won't drip all over everything, instead the BBQ sauce will stay on the ribs. 

At hour 4 I start making my sides for this dinner.  We usually have baked beans with the ribs and some sort of potato.  Let me share an easy potato recipe.

Even while the ribs are still in the oven, increase the temperature to 350

You will need:
5 or 6 potatoes - depending on how many people you have.  We have 4 in our family and 5 potatoes are plenty with leftovers.  I use russet for this recipe as they stand up a bit better.
A slicer or something to cut the potatoes with.  I've got a mandolin.
A potato peeler - optional - my family doesn't like russet potato skins.
A casserole dish
Non stick spray
Salt
Pepper
Butter - I use 2 tablespoons
1/4 onion
2 tsp. garlic powder
Milk

Wash and peel your potatoes.  Spray your casserole dish with non stick spray.
Cut your onion up into small pieces - again I have a picky eater, doesn't like onion, so I use a chopper and really make them small... shhh don't tell her there's onion in one of her favorite dishes! 
Next, slice your potatoes.  Try to make them as even as possible so they will cook evenly.

Now assemble. 
A layer of potatoes, a bit of onion, a little salt and pepper and a little garlic powder. 
Next a layer of potatoes, a bit of onion, a little salt and pepper and a little garlic powder.
Keep going until you are out of ingredients.

 Finally, top with butter and add the milk.  The milk should come up 1/2 way in the dish.  Cover with a lid or aluminum foil.  Place in the oven and bake for an hour. 

For this potato dish I've tried several other ingredients that are also good.  It is good as I've indicated here but try other things.  I've added shredded cheese, used evaporated and or condensed milk instead of regular milk. I've added a package of dry ranch dressing, dry Italian dressing, bacon, croutons or Panko bread crumbs and other spices.  This basically comes out like a big baked potato so think of things you'd put on a baked potato and you can add it!  Some I've added with 5 - 10 minutes left on the cooking like Sour Cream and even cheese. 
This is pretty easy and my kiddo's eat it up, even the picky one!  But shhh don't tell her there's onion in it!!

After 6 hours in the oven this is what the ribs look like....

Moist, juicy and tender, falling apart when I put them on the plates.  I added BBQ sauce to the middle two in the last 10 minutes of cooking. 

This is what the potatoes look like after an hour or so... depending on how many you make, they are done when you can stick a fork in them easily.

I like easy meals that I can fix and forget.  I hope you try these.  Let me know if you do and how you like them!

Do you have any ideas on how to get a picky eater to eat?  To try different or new things?  I'd love to hear them. 

Thanks for stopping by.  Next week I'll be sharing my house decorated for Valentines Day.  I hope you come back.
Until then, stay safe!
Victoria

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